A transporter has been convicted by a court in Northern Ireland for carrying animals deemed "not fit for the journey".

John Alexander Clark (67), Draperstown Road, Moneyshanere, Tobermore, Magherafelt was convicted on two charges yesterday (Tuesday, November 10) at Laganside Court.

Clark was convicted on one charge of failure to present animals and health certificates at the border control post inspection facilities.

The 67-year-old was also convicted on one charge of transporting animals, namely six sheep, which were not fit for the journey.

Clark received a three-month custodial sentence suspended for two years on charge one, and was fined £750 on charge two plus a £15 offender levy and £133 court costs.

Court

The court heard that on November 15, 2024, Belfast Port officials received intelligence that animals may have been hidden on a lorry carrying hay.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) inspection staff at the port stopped the lorry and searched the load.

They found 60 sheep on the top deck of the lorry.

Clark had denied having any animals on board and was unable to provide the required import documents.

A veterinary officer also found that six of the sheep were unfit for transport and that moving them would have caused further injury and suffering.

At the time, Northern Ireland was free from bluetongue and importing these animals without import documentation posed a risk to Northern Ireland’s disease-free status.

All 60 sheep were deemed to have been illegally imported and were seized and destroyed due to the disease risk they posed.